Thread by @faisalislam

Motion being laid seeks to approve the Withdrawal Agreement - thus activating a new leave date of May 22nd.

Leaves open further changes to the political declaration. Government source says MPs can tell constituents who ask why we haven’t left on March 29th that we will on May 22

If tomorrow’s vote Yes then the Withdrawal Agreement Bill is published next week.

The process of how the Commons changes the Political Declaration is unclear but would have to act concurrently with ratification Bill - the WAB. Need for actual Meaningful Vote might be retrospectively repealed in WAB in some way, sources tell me.

Government can’t really win here - Speaker says cant have MV3. MPs asking - why is it not MV3?

AG Cox points out that this is in fact an attempt to activate the EU Council deadline (11pm tomorrow) to get the May 22nd extension - without EP elections.

Here is the motion...

possible sequence to get around MV3

1. Pass non-binding Withdrawal Agreement motion tomorrow to activate EU’s May 22 date..at this point longer extension ruled out. Leave room for PD change.

2. Publish WAB, including repeal of need to have Meaningful Vote

3. Pass WAB by May 22

Not sure I can name those MPs who did not back MV2 who will now back this WA approval motion because they’ve carved off the political declaration... Number 10 say the Labour Party say they have no probs with WA so should back it. Labour say this is double blindfold Brexit

Some Labour MPs HAD in the past said this sort of WA alone vote might help - but they are long lost to the Government, who don’t trust them to deliver on the Pol Declaration.

DUP hate the WA specifically so focusing on it without the PD doesn’t help. Some excitement when it appeared many of their MPs had already flown to Belfast but am told they’ll be back for vote against.

NEW/ THE SAME: DUP confirm “voting against” the Withdrawal Agreement approval motion just announced.